…as both teams played with 10 men each throughout the second half
By: Chikondi Magalasi
Arthur Kalondola’s late goal was enough for FOMO Football Club to grab a point over Dedza Dynamos in a 1-1 TNM Super League match.
The match sparked by dramatic Juju beliefs at Mulanje Park Stadium on a chilly Sunday afternoon.
The drama unfolded when two players, one from FOMO and another from Dedza Dynamos, refused to go into the field for the pre-match formalities, each insisting the other go first.
The players involved were Mike Banda of FOMO and Dedza’s Khumbo Banda.
However, a similar scenario occurred at halftime when two players, Oscar Mangwaya of FOMO and Chifuniro Mpinganjira for Dedza refused to go to the dressing rooms, each insisting the other be first.
The halftime event forced referee Cedric Mwachumu to give them yellow cards each before giving them red cards after they kept refusing to go to the dressing room.
How the match progressed:
In the first half, both teams played defensive football, preventing each other from scoring; however, the hosts had a chance to take the lead through Wally Gondwe, but his shot was stopped by Dedza’s goalie, Donnex Mwakasinga.
The visitors had an opportunity to score, but thanks to FOMO’s shot-stopper, Noel Phiri, who saved Edward Dakalira’s shot.
Come the second half, the visitors took the lead through Samson Olatubosun, who converted a penalty with 25 minutes before the final whistle. The penalty came after Dedza’s player was fouled.
FOMO kept pressing to reward their home fans who came in large numbers and they did that with just a minute to the final whistle when Kalondola leveled the matters through a rebound.
In a post-match interview, FOMO head coach Gilbert Chirwa conceded that it was a difficult match as their opponents looked well-prepared.
“It was a difficult match, considering that our friends looked well-prepared for this match; we got demoralised after they took the lead through the penalty, but let me thank my boys for getting back into the match and securing the equaliser,” he said.
His counterpart, Andrew Bunya also lamented that it was a difficult match but was quick to say that the result was disappointing to his side.
“It’s a disappointing result for us, considering how we performed today; of course, it was a difficult game but we managed to control it throughout the second half,” he said.
Currently, Dedza Dynamos are ninth on the log table with 12 points, while FOMO are fourth from the bottom with 11 points.
Starting 11 for FOMO:
Noel Phiri, Chimwemwe Kamowa Nyoni, White Kitisen, Christopher Phiri, Oscar Mbewe, Duncan Mangwaya, Mike Banda, Wally Gondwe, Sammy Byson, Hassan Luwembe, Rashid Chilomo
Starting 11 for PremierBet Dedza Dynamos:
Donnex Mwakasinga, Justice Chihoma, Lameck Gamphani, Chifuniro Mpinganjira,Edward Dakalira, Lughano Kaira, Ochaya Okot , Samson Olatubosun, Khumbo Banda, God’swill Kanyika, Marko Chiwaya.
